New Land New Garden

ClissAT

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Its a very course product Daniel. Lots of fairly big/long bits rather than nicely shaped pieces that we would find in the various pine bark products.
It's more like a shredded wood.
Also remember that if you do use some form of wood or bark product as a compost additive or a working mulch (on an actively growing garden bed) you must add a good amount of blood & bone to replace the nitrogen the bark uses to break down in the soil.
 

Daniel.Mav

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Soo, I just cant decide!!

Orchard seperate to the vegetable patch in rows with a ring of mulch vegetable patch in raised beds

Or

Orchard amongst vegetable patch to create a large garden bed that isnt raised.

What are your thoughts?
 

ClissAT

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One thing against placing the fruit trees among the vegies is that as the trees grow they cast larger & denser shade.
It's ok if you keep moving where you plant the veg, but if you have a static layout, there will be times of the year when a fair portion of the growing zone is not suitable for veg.
Also the more trees in the given area & the larger they grow, the less space is available for growing in full sun.
I have a separate orchard. That's how this property was laid out when I came here. But it's how I would plan it anyway.
But the space under each tree is still used. I plant things like sweet potato, sprawling cherry tomatoes, herbs, flowers, food for the wildlife, pumpkins, nasturtiums, amaranth, edible weeds. Some of those are annuals while others are perennials. Once they are harvested, the residual plant becomes mulch. Plants like the amaranth that seed profusely & send up 100's of volunteers, become green mulch when I thin them down to the best few.
I have couch lawn all through my orchard which is mown as needed & anything that grows too wide gets the chop which also becomes mulch onto the next tree as it comes out the side of the mower.

So just because you segregate your fruit trees & your veg, doesn't mean that orchard space can't be put to good use the rest of the year.
Other people might grow animal food such as for goats or a cow inter-row to save the need to mow. They might harvest that green hay daily with a scythe.
 

Daniel.Mav

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Awesome I personally think that the food forest type garden is too messy for only a 1 acre property. I like the idea of having the orchard in rows with perennials underneath each one and the vegetable garden seperate. Maybe I can build a chicken tractor that fits the allies between and use them to help fertilise.
 

Mark

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Soo, I just cant decide!!

Orchard seperate to the vegetable patch in rows with a ring of mulch vegetable patch in raised beds

Or

Orchard amongst vegetable patch to create a large garden bed that isnt raised.

What are your thoughts?
Yes as Clissa pointed out there are certain edibles you can underplant in an orchard - Eden style - and it's very pretty plus useful.

However, practically, keeping the main patch separate to the orchard is the best option for the effective/maximum growth of sun hungry veggies like tomatoes and brassicas.
 
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